Stage 2 Sisters Club
Comments
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swg
Good to hear from you. I have your surgery date marked on my calendar. I hope that's ok. Do you know what time your mascectomy is? So, you will have the TE's. I did at the same time of mascectomy. When I woke up, and the nurse showed my no boob, I had a small mound, and that gave me comfort knowing when I healed, my boob would get filled every week. During that time there was discomfort. During these fills, my daughter, and her best friend would come with me. That thought what the PS was doing was, in their terms, cool. They got to see how slowly the expander was growing like a balloon. You do make a good point about going back and forth for those fills. Plastic surgeons make tons of money. Now, is your insurance covering all your reconstruction? Here in NC, insurance companies have to pay by law. I wonder if that's required in all states. I hope you are node negative, but even if you have up to three positive nodes, you still qualify for the onco dx test. I had one positive node, had onco dx test with a reoccrance of 14, so no chemo. I'm hoping you can skip it as well. This is jumping ahead, but do you know if you will need radiation? What about Tamoxifen? You will be nervous on surgery day, but once you are drugged, and that anesthesia starts a kicking, you'll come out into recovery fine. Of course, they will give you strong pain killers. I'm glad you have family, and friends helping you. You will need it. If I could, I would come help. I can work those drain tubes lol. At first, I thought you were going to get an immediate implant. I have to say, I don't know of many women who get immediate implants. I'm not sure why some women can have immediate implants, and others have to get the expander. Anyone know that answer. Swg, I'll keep checking on you.0 -
Molly50
Oh, yes breast cancer is soooo much fun in such a pain in the ass kind of way😬 In my case, the onco didn't think I would need radiation, well my fills were completed, and what do you know, radiation for six weeks. So, my PS said I have to wait six months to do the exchange. This will be in February. I'm sooo ready. You're right, the rock hard thing is annoying. I feel when I do the exchange, I should get the other breast taken off. But, I knew two women who had to fight their insurance companies to do a prophylactic mascectomy. One even got an attorney. Well, they got what they wanted, and I get it. I would have much better peace of mind. My PS is all for it. Got to do some more digging. I'm glad you're happy you made the right decision.
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Hey JaymeB,
For various reasons, I changed my mind and decided to do the immediate implant. It's what my breast surgeon always does, anyway. She has a lot of experience in it.
I just made a new post in the "Breast Reconstruction" section, tho. This was my 2nd visit to the PS today, and I'm getting surgery on Tuesday, and he's still trying to talk me into tissue expanders!
My BS says she thinks the implants will look fine, and she's doing a nipple sparing mastectomy and I should have the skin for it.
I don't get why my PS, and even his NURSE..were trying to discourage me from doing the immediate implant and saying I'll get a better aesthetic result. My BS says the opposite.
ugh
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Swg. Are you doing above the muscle immediate implants? That’s what I had and I love it. Ok, well maybe love is a little too strong but they look pretty darn good. I had skin/nipple sparing BMX. My BS and PS work together very well and both thought this would work out well for me. Not all PS have experience with this though.
I would think with below the muscle direct implants it would be painful for a while as obviously the muscle will be stretched when there is something under it. Maybe that’s why your PS wants he expanders. Just to stretch it slowly. Is he on board with what you want to do or do you need to find someone else
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He seems more concerned about the aesthetics of the immediate implant vs. the TEs. He knows I'm a model and I'm very concerned about that. That's what his nurse said, too.
I'm also going with nipple/skin sparing. My BS says I shouldn't need to worry about the stretching part..that I should have enough skin.
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Thank you PauletteK. Beautiful picture. Very autumn. I could not find a cute emoji. I hope all of you ladies had a great Thanksgiving. I know we are all on very different time zones, so did, or is anyone going Black Friday shopping? I've never done it. Don't think I could deal with all that craziness, although I loooove to SHOP😁 Need a lady shopping emoji.
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swg,
How are you? I know you said you're nervous, only five more days. I saw you're getting a nipple skin sparing mascectomy. How did you and your team come to that decision? I wish I could have that. I don't think I had an option. I didn't know there are so many ways of breast cancer surgery. I'm glad you get to save the nipple. Before surgery, I think you have to do a consultation, get blood work, etc. Oh, did you get fitted for mascectomy bras? To me, they were great, and comfortable. I still wear them to bed at night
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OCDAmy
Lucky woman. So, you were able to get both of your breasts removed, when one was healthy? I understand my onoc's reasoning, however isn't it a woman's choice? Did you have any problems with insurance approving it? I've had my expanders in 9 months. There's always a delay after treatments. I see my onco in 3 weeks, and find out my choice to have my right breast removed. If my insurance won't cover it, I can't do it. Many women do it though. Decisions uggggh😂😂😂
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OCDAmy
I forgot to ask, did you choose silicone, or saline? When is your exchange
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jaymeb, my insurance is paying for all of it. My PS told me they had to, that it was required by law. Not sure if that's in every state or not. I think you should be able to decide! When they removed the non cancer side, their were some calcifications so I'm glad it's gone. On the side without cancer I had a nipple and skin sparing. I am starting rads on Tuesday so I won't get exchange surgery for quite some time. I don't like the expanders but I can live with them. My PS said she mostly does silicone. We haven't decided yet what kind.
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I requested a BMX also. I’m very small breasted and they said it would be difficult to match up otherwise. There was cancer in my “clean” breast as well- Not picked up in mammo, ultrasound or 2 MRI’s. My breasts were very cystic though and Idid not want to have to constantly worry. Everything was covered.
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HI Jaymeb! Hope you are well and you had a nice Thanksgiving!!
So, after doing my research I found out that getting rid of the clear (non-cancerous) breast doesn't affect my chances of recurrence, and I just didn't want to have 2 non-feeling breasts, so I decided to keep the left. For the right, once again I did some research and found that nipple sparing doesn't increase the chance of recurrence with my type of tumors, and my BS is fine with it. It just seems to be the easiest thing to do, and works for me aesthetically. My PS is going to use an Allergan silicone implant. My one concern is that he kept pushing me into tissue expanders, and I still have to talk to my BS about this. It concerns me. The first PS she sent me to was quite comfortable with the immediate implant reconstruction, and even tho it would cost me about $5000 I'm wondering if I should go back to her. Surgery is scheduled for Tuesday tho.
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I have very dense breasts and the mammogram didn't pick up my cancer. I found the large lump 6 months after my mammogram. I decided I could never trust a mammogram again so that was a big reason for the BMX. I'm also a worrier and didn't want to have the anxiety that comes with the additional testing. I think everyone should be able to make their own decision.
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Mammogram and ultrasound didn't pick up my SECOND tumor, so yeah..they cannot be trusted for those of us with dense breasts, it's true. Breast MRIs, however, pick up most tumors, however. I think the pct'age is 97 percent, but I'm not sure.I think once you're undergoing cancer treatment, insurance is more likely to pay for MRIs and other advanced testing.
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Hi Legomaster2
I was just reading your post, and could not believe that cancer was missed in your "healthy breast". Like you, I have cystic breast, and the ultra sound picked up the tumor. It took two biopsies when the BS found my tumor was cancerous. What procedure finally picked up you had cancer in your breast? Do you have dense breasts as well? It's scary when these supposedly updated equipment do not detect tumors the first time. Also, how did you do with radiation?
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hi swg
You said it right about how these machines are not always reliable. I think I mentioned I'm due for a mammogram in January on the healthy breast. I wonder if I would be able to skip these mammograms, and ultrasounds, and request a breast MRI from now on. Another reason to maybe have this breast removed. You did make a good point when you said you didn't want to not have feeling in your healthy breast. On that note, I agree. It's true in my case as well keeping, or removing my right breast would not make a difference in reoccurance. So conflicted. Do you know for sure what you're going to do about the expanders?
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OCDAmy
Are you nervous about rads? As you know, of course, you do have to wait awhile to do the exchange right after rads. My PS said it had to be six months, no less after the last day of radiation. I did very well with rads. My RO, and PS were very happy of how my breast looked after my treatments. How long did your PS tell you that you have to wait for the exchange? At least, you will have plenty of time on what to choose for your final implant, and what is right for you. I'm definitely going with silicone. It is the most common. I just hope I'll be happy with the end result. How many treatments will you be doing? I'll be thinking of you. Please keep us posted on how you're doing with rads. You start Tuesday?
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Jaymeb, I am nervous about rads! I am getting 28, no boosts. My PS says minimum of 3 months before exchange but she preferes longer but wouldn't say exactly how long. She said it depends on how my skin does. I am better when I have a plan and know what to expect so hopefully after first few I'll feel more comfortable. I work full time so that is going to be the biggest hassle. Thanks for your reply, it's been so helpful to talk to others who really understand
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Jaymeb, they do say my breasts (like many of us) are dense. Nothing caught the cancer in my left breast. It was not until the BMX pathology report that it was determined. MRI in January showed slight general enhancement, follow up ultrasound showed nothing but cysts. I had chemo and then a second MRI in June prior to surgery showed nothing. This one was compared to first noted that there was no enhancement at all on that side. Mammo showed nothing. It was .9mm so not huge but not that small either. Someone commented in my tumor board consult that if it wasn't for the multiple cysts in my breasts that I would not have had any breasts at all. Everyone kept commenting on how cystic I was, every tech, every doctor. I think that is what made it difficult. I am thankful at this point that I made the decision that I did and everything was removed. I don't think my circumstances are the norm at all though.0
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Hi swg
I just wanted to let you know I'll be thinking of you tomorrow. I was very nervous, but once I was out, my surgery seemed so fast. I think you will be very relieved, and have piece of mind.
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OCDAmy
Do you start radiation tomorrow
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Jaymeb, yes first radiation tomorrow afternoon. Thanks for checking in! It was delayed because of insurance but finally went through. I'm have IMRT. Has anyone had this type of radiation?
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OCDAmy
For some reason, I can't sleep. So, I just saw your post. I have never heard of IMRT. I was curious myself, and it stands for Intensity Modulated Radio Therapy. It directs radiation at the breast tumor, and modulates the intensity of the radiation beams, helping to spare healthy tissue surrounding the breast tumor. During my sessions, I don't remember that term specifally. But it sounds like you're having the best treatments. Have you been marked with all those wonderful sharpies, and covered with those sticky things? In my treatments, especially since it was my left breast, I did so much breathing in, and out. Had to be perfect, to protect my heart, and lungs. I loved my RO, and the techs. This sounds crazy, but I kinda liked radiation. Mostly the techs. Are you having any "boosts"? I didn't. Let us know how your first session went.0 -
Jay,
I went to my mapping and did the breathing since it is going to be my left breast. I didn’t do well on the breathing only hit the mark couple times. Then the RO said I should be fine with the machine, I can do without the breathing they wanted to compare two of the scans. Oh boy I told them I guess I failed the test.
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PauletteK
I was the same way. In the beginning, when the tech would tell me to breathe in, I would breathe in too much. So, she would say a little less, until I got it spot on. I was named "The Breath Whisperer". lol. After each treatment, I would ask the techs to grade me. It seems I did the best breathing technique when I didn't overthink it. When did you start your treatments? How many are you having
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hi swg
I hope your surgery was a success. I'm sure all went fine, and your getting good painkillers. When you're feeling better, and ready, I would like to hear how everything went, and most important, how you are feeling? Sorry, if I'm being too pushy. Just hope all went well
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Had my first rads treatment yesterday. It went well although I cried a little, not sure why but I think it was because I was all alone in that big room with that heavy door closed and that machine moving around me. I always had someone with me during chemo but radiation is a lonely thing.
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OCD, I absolutely understand. Laying on that table, exposed, alone. There is no escaping in that moment that this is real. Not a movie, not going away, not happening to anyone else. I cried too.
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Me too
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